Battery terminal clamp



March 24, 1964 F. A. KELTON 3,

BATTERY TERMINAL CLAMP Filed Nov. 30, 1961 INVENTOR.

j flank/1.52 1101! United States Patent 3,126,245 BATTERY TERMHNAL CLFrank A. Kelton, S. Pleasant Ave, Bloomingdale, Ill. Filed Nov. 30,1961, Ser. No. 155,998 3 Claims. (Cl. 339226) The present inventiongenerally relates to an improved and novel battery terminal clamp andmore particularly to such a clamp having means for removing the clampfrom the terminal.

Quite often, it is difiicult to remove a battery terminal clamp from theterminal due to corrosion, deformation of the clamp and the like.Therefore, it is the primary object of the present invention to providea battery terminal clamp having a removing device incorporated thereinwhereby no special tools are required and very little time is requiredto operate the device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a battery terminalclamp having a bridge member extending across the terminal with a screwthreaded bolt extending through the bridge member into engagement withthe terminal whereby the bolt may be threaded downwardly into engagementwith the terminal thereby removing the clamp without moving the terminaland eliminating damage which frequently occurs by movement of theterminal when a conventional clamp is removed.

A further object of this invention is to provide a battery terminalclamp which is simple in construction, easy to apply and remove, longlasting, dependable and inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded group perspective View of the battery terminalclamp;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the clamp assembled on the terminal; and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on the plane of section line 3-3 ofFIGURE 2.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the battery terminal clampof the present invention is generally designated by reference numeral 10and the clamp 10 is aflixed to the conductor cable 12 and the terminalpost 14 in the usual manner.

The clamp 10 includes a body 16 having a socket 18 in one end thereofreceiving cable 12. The other end of the body 16 includes a flattenedportion 20 and a pair of spaced lugs or ears 22 interconnectedadjustably by a clamp bolt 24. The portion 20 also includes an opening26 for the post 14 and the opening 26 for the post 14 and the opening 26communicates with the space 28 between the lugs 22.

Extending across the portion 20 is a bridge 30 in the form of a flatplate having downturned side edges 32 and radial reinforcing ribs 34 onthe underside thereof which terminate in an integral nut 36 having aninternally threaded aperture 38 therein. The aperture 38 receives athreaded bolt 40 therethrough which engages the top of the post 14.

Also, the plate 30 has a pair of slot-like openings 42 which receiverivets 44 which extend through holes 46 in the flattened portion 20 andwhich have retainers 45% on the bottom thereof thereby securing theplate 30 to the clamp whereby pressure exerted by the screw or bolt 40will pull the clamp body 16 off the terminal post 14. Any suitablematerials may be used and the size and shape may vary to fit varioustypes of terminal posts.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A battery terminal post clamp comprising, in combination, a bodyhaving means for connection with a conductor cable, a laterallyspreadable split clamp portion receiving the post, a bridge extendingacross the top of the clamp portion, a threaded member threadedlycarried by said bridge extending through said bridge for engagement withthe top of the post for withdrawing the bridge and clamp from theterminal post in response to rotation of said threaded member intoabutment with the post, said bridge comprising a plate having downturnedlateral side edges and reinforcing ribs, said side edges limiting theextent of spreading of said clamp portions relative thereto, said platehaving a pair of laterally extending slot-like holes, a pair of rivetsextending through said holes of said plate and secured to said body forsecuring said plate thereto, said slot-like holes accommodating lateralmovement of said rivets in opposite directions in response to spreadingand closing of said split clamp portion.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said threaded member isin the form of a bolt threaded through an internally threaded reinforcedcentral aperture formed in the plate.

3. The structure as defined in claim 2 wherein said split clamp portionclamps to the post independent of the bridge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,794,757 Cutler Mar. 3, 1931 1,822,744 Otwell Sept. 8, 1931 2,370,227Bruder Feb. 27, 1945 2,582,267 Moore Jan. 15, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS479,500 Canada Nov. 10, 1953

1. A BATTERY TERMINAL POST CLAMP COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A BODY HAVING MEANS FOR CONNECTION WITH A CONDUCTOR CABLE, A LATERALLY SPREADABLE SPLIT CLAMP PORTION RECEIVING THE POST, A BRIDGE EXTENDING ACROSS THE TOP OF THE CLAMP PORTION, A THREADED MEMBER THREADEDLY CARRIED BY SAID BRIDGE EXTENDING THROUGH SAID BRIDGE FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE TOP OF THE POST FOR WITHDRAWING THE BRIDGE AND CLAMP FROM THE TERMINAL POST IN RESPONSE TO ROTATION OF SAID THREADED MEMBER INTO ABUTMENT WITH THE POST, SAID BRIDGE COMPRISING A PLATE HAVING DOWNTURNED LATERAL SIDES EDGES AND REINFORCING RIBS, SAID SIDE EDGES LIMITING THE EXTENT OF SPREADING OF SAID CLAMP PORTIONS RELATIVE THERETO, SAID PLATE HAVING A PAIR OF LATERALLY EXTENDING SLOT-LIKE HOLES, A PAIR OF RIVETS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID HOLES OF SAID PLATE AND SECURED TO SAID BODY FOR SECURING SAID PLATE THERETO, SAID SLOT-LIKE HOLES ACCOMMODATING LATERAL MOVEMENT OF SAID RIVETS IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS IN RESPONSE TO SPREADING AND CLOSING OF SAID SPLIT CLAMP PORTION. 